Garden chores | January 15

Train in the new shoots of brambles like raspberries that will carry an autumn crop. Remove any unwanted strawberry runners before they become intertwined. If you wish to propagate from any first year virus-free plantings, peg runners into small pots sunk into the ground and transplant in March.

Place early orders for spring flowering bulbs before popular lines or hard to find species sell out – you will find many of these online. Prepare plots of ground where bulbs may be planted and make sure containers for bulbs have a good supply of organic matter.

Keep the contents of the summer compost heap moist, aerate as much as possible by forking it over sides turned to middle to ensure even decomposition.

Set out winter greens but protect them from the white butterfly with cabbage dust or better still finely meshed netting.